The minister of aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika has said that the construction of shooting ranges at the major airports in Nigeria was almost completed.
Sirika disclosed this yesterday in Abuja while declaring open the maiden edition of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)-Airports Council International (ACI) Africa, Security Week.
Represented by the director general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority NCAA, Capt Musa Nuhu, the minister explained that the shooting range initiative was part of measures to train aviation security personnel in the industry.
He also stated that the federal executive council had recently approved the deployment of (K-9) security at the country’s airports to upscale the safeguarding of national and international civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference in limits yet to be recorded in Nigeria’s history.
“We are working with FAAN and other stakeholders to quickly actualize the approval of the FEC for aviation security personnel to bear arms…
“We are currently addressing the challenges related to damaged, incomplete and non-existent perimeter fences at Nigerian airports because as the first layer of defence, airport perimeters will minimise attacks, prevent incursion and enhance general security,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the managing director of FAAN, Capt Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu said following the International Civil Aviation Organisation ICAO’s re-launch of the Year of Security Culture (YOSC) 2021, FAAN in collaboration with key stakeholders had, in November 2020 designed an approved AVSEC roadmap.
He said the roadmap covers awareness workshops/seminars/ symposium, Policy and process articulation, enhance security reporting system and community relations.
The others are security communication, standardized/structured security awareness programme, signage, posters and announcements, increase in number of AVSEC instructors and functional training schedule/programme and background checks.
“To move these policy issues into measurable actions, we have focused on capacity development for our security personnel whose professionalism has become a source of pride to the entire country.
Aviation is technology driven. State of the art screening and surveillance systems are currently replacing old and epileptic systems in order to improve efficiency and assure satisfactory customer experience while enhancing security of flights, crew and passengers”
“The Authority has strengthened its collaboration with host communities more than ever before and will continue to constructively engage them as critical partners in our journey towards building a robust security culture in and around our airports. Our security communication is receiving the needed attention for operational efficiency and the next generation of AVSEC instructors are being identified, developed and certified,” he said.
For his part, the agency’s director of aviation security services, Group Captain Usman Abubakar (rtd) said government should consider the formation a Rapid Response Squad capable of providing timely and professional interventions in any crisis and distress situations to arrest the ubiquitous and unconventional pattern of the new sets and levels of potential security threats against civil aviation in Nigeria and the Sahel/Sub-Saharan region as a whole.
“Considering the size, challenges and technological advancements, it has become very important to draw management’s kind attention towards the approval of additional general manager positions in line with the Directorate’s restructured organogram,” he added.
